Do you remember when it was cooler than 90 degrees every day? Peer back beyond the humid haze. Only mere months ago, it did happen–the camera doesn’t lie–and British photographer Martin Parr’s pictures are our evidence. Summer weekends fill up fast and only a few remain for a viewing of his cold-weather photos. New Pictures 6: Martin Parr, featuring winter photographs Parr shot in the Twin Cities as an MIA-commissioned project, closes in under three weeks.

If you haven’t stopped by the 2nd floor Linda & Lawrence Perlman Gallery (262) recently, Parr’s January pics of Minneapolis winter sports will be on display through Sunday, August 5th. After that, the images will take a break in storage for a while, however, the MIA Photography & New Media department are proud to announce the acquisition of six Martin Parr photographs into our collection.

Come in and enjoy the free-flowing air-conditioning while you enjoy the display of twelve of Parr’s visual observations of our local winter activities.

Martin Parr relished the challenge of shooting “something half decent” over his three day visit to the Twin Cities in January, where “people are addicted to this cold weather” for outdoor winter activities. In regards to making pictures in America, Parr noted, “virtually no one objects to being photographed. [...] No wonder there’s so much good American photography.”

We all succumb to clichés and photographers are no exception. A seemingly striking composition may be due to familiarity with common image culture and history as much as a moment of genius. Martin Parr outlines 13 photographic cliché categories for image-makers to be aware of–and possibly embrace with careful attention–if not avoid. Parr appreciates much work falling under the clichéd headings, but urges artists to push their subject examination beyond the recognizable photographic lineage. Before heading out to make pictures, or perhaps, while revisiting recent work, photographers may want to browse for and reconsider any new old images of that Nostalgic Gaze, among other standards.

Alec Soth, who wrote an article last month on Martin Parr’s recent sojourn to Minnesota, also wrote a piece in late 2011 speculating on photographers’ peak creative years. Martin came across the blog and responded, in part:

“You need that raw energy and excitement that feeds into new and exciting work, associated with the 20s and early 30s. Very few achieve even that , let alone sustain this into their long careers. I once said in an interview that I thought my best work was probably behind me, and this now is quoted back to me everytime I do another interview. [...] OK we keep going , trying to be fresh, but we know too much, are too comfortable, even if you fight laziness by working hard. It doesn’t mean you cannot make a useful contribution later on, but it ain’t going to have the edge that the early work , so often delivers.”

Martin also said there are exceptions.

New Pictures 6: Martin Parr opens in a few weeks. If you missed it, here’s a taste of the new work Parr made in Minnesota over a long January weekend, as reviewed by Curt Brown of the Star Tribune: Frozen Face of Minnesota.

Renowned photographer and blogging legend Alec Soth writes on Martin Parr’s presence in the photographic world and Parr’s recent visit to Minnesota. Soth calls British photographer and his friend the “Jay-Z of documentary photography.” Read more and see the layout as well on the link below.

Photographer Martin Parr, whose pictures will be on view in New Pictures 6, visited MN for four days to take pictures of winter sports. His comments on inspiration offer some insights into his approach to such a project.

“We live in a difficult but inspiring world, and there is so much out there that I want to record. However you cannot photograph everything, so I have to select subjects that throw light on the relationship I have with the world. This is often expressed as an ambiguity or a contradiction. Look at tourism, for example. We have an idea of what a famous site will look like as we’ve seen the photos – but when you get there, the reality is usually different. This rub between mythology and reality is the inspiration – and the contradiction.

Inspiration can also come when a good connection is made with the subject. The nature and quality of this connection can vary enormously. It may range from getting into a small community and winning the trust of the subjects over a number of visits; but it could also come from walking in the mountains and feeling a certain affinity with the landscape.

The knack is to find your own inspiration, and take it on a journey to create work that is personal and revealing.”

I am delighted to announce that British photographer Martin Parr will be the next New Pictures artist at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts this spring. Martin will cross the Atlantic in a few weeks to shoot photos covering the wealth of winter activities in Minnesota, from pond hockey to ice fishing. Given Martin’s track record of capturing the British middle class and international wealth, we expect a unique and foreign take on cultural and athletic life in our state.

A member of the esteemed Magnum Photos, an international photographers’ cooperative, Parr is one of the most renowned and celebrated photographers working today. He is known for his innovative use of color photography and his humorous approach to documenting the daily rituals of life. Parr is also recognized for his work as an editor of photo-based publications, and is credited with more than twenty compilations of his own work. In 2008, he was awarded the Royal Photographic Society Centenary Medal and the Baume & Mercier award for his career contributions to contemporary photography.

New Pictures 6: Martin Parr opens April 20, 2012 and runs through the summer.